Because of the uncertainty surrounding university and college classes for the Class of 2024 - Will classes be held online or in person? Will campus or dorms be open? Will students be deprived of the education they are paying for? - many incoming Freshmen are deferring admission to matriculate Fall 2021.
Will this be a problem for the Class of 2025? Like most things regarding education in the time of Covid-19, it’s too early to say for certain; however, there are signs on the horizon. Most colleges and universities - elite schools in particular - are offering students the option to defer. In a spring survey, 25% of incoming Freshmen said they planned to request a gap year, but so far the actual numbers are significantly lower. Though deferral rates are likely to increase as schools update their numbers, the most recently released data indicates only about 2% of students nation-wide are following through with such plans. Certainly, this will have an impact on 2020-2021 admissions, making acceptances less certain, however the impact does not seem to be as extreme as predicted in the spring.
Colleges and universities are also anticipating fewer applications this fall, as students and families expect steeper competition, may prefer educational institutions that are closer to home, and might not be enticed to apply through online tours alone. As Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid of Dartmouth College Lee Coffin said in a recent interview:
...many high school juniors are nervous that should many members of the Class of 2024 take gap years, the acceptance rate for the Class of 2025 will be lower. He said that while this is a possibility, it is also possible that fewer students will apply amid remote recruitment.
So, while admissions may be more challenging for the Class of 2025, there is a glimmer of hope that things will not be as difficult as people currently fear. If you want help optimizing your applications, please reach out. We have more than a decade helping students and families attend the universities of their dreams, and we will do the same for you.